Colorado Rapids forward Gabriel Torres named MLS Player of the Week for Week 34

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Monday, October 21, 2013) – Colorado Rapids forward Gabriel Torres was named MLS Player of the Week today by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The Panamanian striker scored twice in the Rapids’ 3-2 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, including a stunning late strike which virtually assured Colorado a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Torres, who was signed by the Rapids on August 8 as the club’s first-ever Designated Player, now has three goals in just six appearances for Colorado (four starts). His first goal against Vancouver was a well-taken penalty that was driven past Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted, who had guessed correctly with his dive. Torres’ second goal of the night was a 77th minute game-winner, coming after he controlled a long ball, took it inside and hit a left-footed rocket into the top corner from 20 yards (WATCH ABOVE). The MLS Player of the Week honor was the first for a Rapids player in 2013, and the first Colorado player selected by the NASR since Sanna Nyassi in July of 2011.

The Player of the Week performance from Torres came on the heels of a devastating result for the striker’s Panamanian National Team just four days earlier, when his team was knocked out of contention for the FIFA World Cup due to a pair of late goals from the United States in the final qualifying match. “When I came back, [Oscar Pareja] talked to me and I told him I was ready for the game,” said Torres on Saturday night. “I know what kind of position he was in, what position we were in, and I wanted to play this game.”

The Rapids have one match remaining in the 2013 regular season, visiting Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Sunday, October 27 at 6 p.m. MT with the live broadcast on Altitude 2. Colorado will enter the MLS Cup Playoffs the following week (barring a loss in Vancouver and a 13 goal performance by San Jose at FC Dallas), with dates and locations of postseason matchups still to be determined. For more information on the team, or to pre-order tickets for potential playoff games, visit www.ColoradoRapids.com or call 303-825-GOAL.